Extract from Hansard Legislative Council 16 November 1999
Mike Elliott Leader Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council		Parliament Index 1999 Spring Session Index Browse by Subject About the SA Parliament Hansard on line

STATUTES AMENDMENT (UNIVERSITIES) BILL

Adjourned debate on second reading.

The Hon. M.J. ELLIOTT: I indicate, on behalf of the Democrats, support for the second reading. Effectively, the role of the Governor of South Australia as a visitor to the universities is to be replaced by that of the Ombudsman. It will come as no surprise to people who know that I supported a minimalist approach on the Republic that I believe the Governor's role or a Governor- General's role should be very limited-in fact, largely limited to interpretation in terms of whether a party has the numbers to form a government, whether or not it continues to enjoy the support of the parliament and whether or not laws are passed through the parliament in a correct manner and therefore deserve to be signed off into law.

That is as much as I think Governors and Governors- General effectively should do in any sort of legal sense. This is really a left over from a very long time ago. A bit of tidying up is required. It is certainly consistent with the approach that I took in suggesting that Governors should have very much a minimalist role in the affairs of state.

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